The Truth of the Matter
by Sultry Sweet
Summary: Day 6 of Swan Queen Week Summer 2014: Truth Serum. A celebration at the park leads Henry to take action to fix the broken bond between his two mothers. Post-3B finale. No Elsa.


The lights twinkled as they clung to trees and hung from the park gazebo at the heart of the party. It was a nice night. Not too chilly for the season, several stars in the sky, and many townspeople in attendance that just wouldn't fit in Granny's diner.

It was supposed to be a celebration, but Henry didn't think the party could truly be called one when his mothers were at odds again. It had been a week since Regina and Robin stopped seeing each other due to Robin's wife returning from the past with Emma and Hook. He knew Regina blamed Emma for destroying a facet of her happiness and he figured it was driven a lot by the fact that his grandmother had done a similar thing years ago.

One week was too long for Henry to stand by and watch as Emma tried to apologize to Regina while his brunette mother refused to see anyone but him. So he spent a few nights that week with Regina to see if there was anything he could do to help and he'd heard her cry herself to sleep the first night he stayed. He didn't bring it up the next day, but she decided to tell Henry she didn't want to be around the Charming side of his family ever again. But then she also made it clear that she would never keep him from them and then she apologized that all the drama between her and them affected him as much as it did. She hated that he was in the middle of it all and he assured her it was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Not entirely. He didn't mind that Regina had feelings that made it hard for her to be around his grandparents and birthmother, but he did mind that they weren't dealing with it. He understood even before the curse broke that his family was rarely on the same side and that things were complicated, but he'd seen them work together and he knew it was better for everyone if they continued to work together.

That wasn't even the full spectrum of issues he found with celebrating while there was trouble within his family, however. It was only part of the main reason he'd distracted his other grandfather, Rumpelstiltskin, while he snooped through the pawn shop and found something particularly helpful. It was labeled clear enough and he just knew it would do some good to reveal a few things that wouldn't be expressed without a little push from a third party.

Yet, when he stood near the punch bowl while swarms of people moved around the gazebo, he noticed how difficult it would be to ensure Emma and Regina drank what he had to help repair their relationship. Instead, he just took a deep breath and sighed before he popped up behind the punch bowl and poured the elixir of truth serum into it.

* * *

"I'm really sorry, Regina," Tinker Bell said before she took a sip of her drink. "If I had known that Robin and his wife–"

"I don't care," Regina bit out and cut off the curly haired blonde before she gulped down a generous amount of her own drink.

"I think you do."

Regina rolled her eyes and lowered her cup a little.

"Well, of course I _care_, but there's nothing I can do and…it's foolish to step between the two of them. What would the point of taking away their happy ending be if I'm not happy with or without Robin in my life in that way?"

"What do you mean," Tink asked with furrowed brows.

Regina suspiciously eyed the content of her cup for a moment while she smacked her tongue against the roof of her mouth a few times.

"There isn't just alcohol in this," Regina said as she continued to stare into her drink.

"What? _Is _there alcohol in this?"

"Granny spiked it earlier."

Tink blinked in shock.

Regina finally looked up from her drink and saw Tink's expression. She smirked.

"She's a hell of a woman. Crazy in the best of ways. I admire her," Regina confessed before she reared back and gaped at her own words.

"I didn't know you admired anyone. Ever," Tink said with her eyes intently focused on Regina.

"It's a small list," Regina quickly said and hoped to avoid saying anything else she hadn't planned on telling a single soul.

"Who else do you admire," Tink inquired with curious eyes and a hint of smirk as she stepped closer to the brunette.

"Emma."

Regina cupped a hand over her mouth while her eyes almost flew out of their sockets.

Tink's jaw practically hit the floor. Her eyes were as wide as Regina's, but her expression was one of mirth while Regina's was one of embarrassment.

"What do you admire about her," Tink pressed on.

"What _isn't _there to admire about her," Regina said before she could stop herself. "Damn it!"

Tink laughed.

"Are you saying–?"

"Shut up, Tink," Regina warned and looked back down into her cup and all but growled as she glared down at the liquid.

* * *

Hook was persistent. Sometimes that worked, but there had to be chemistry and attraction between both people involved. And there wasn't.

Emma tried to be polite about it. After she'd kissed Hook outside of Granny's, she decided she'd rather be alone than with him. It wasn't exactly a lapse in judgment when she'd kissed him after he'd told her he gave up the Jolly Roger for her. It was gratitude and a seemingly futile attempt to chase away loneliness. Plus, Hook had sort of been a connection to Neal even before his death and even if she wasn't sure she ever would have gotten back together with him, she still missed him. He was her first love and her first ever. He'd done things she hadn't agreed with, but also things that she was grateful he'd done. So she figured Hook was as good as it was going to get in comparison.

But she'd hoped—before she'd kissed Hook—that Regina would ditch Robin and forget about stupid pixie dust. She'd hoped that Regina would give her that smile again like when they tried to recreate the memory potion and talk to her like they had on their stakeout and hold her hand with that look that said, "I'm sorry it had to come to this, but I'll do my best to make it everything you could ever dream of."

That didn't happen, though. She chose Robin and that stupid pixie dust and Emma was left with nothing. Suddenly, the tables had turned and Henry had become her whole world while Regina went out and found someone.

And Emma was stuck letting Hook down easy as many times as it took until he got it through his head that she was done with him and whatever it was she was trying to have with him.

"Just have a drink, love," Hook tried to brush off her fourth refusal that week to date him any longer.

"Killian–"

"Please, Swan. Humor a pirate, eh," Hook asked as he held out a drink to her with soft eyes and a slightly pleading expression.

Emma sighed and took the cup. She looked into it to make sure he hadn't drugged it and found everything inside the plastic settled and up to par. She brought it to her lips and tipped her head back. When she lowered the cup only half of the drink was left.

"Damn, that's good alcohol," Emma noted more to herself than announcing to Hook there was something extra in the fruity drink.

"Just a little of my rum," he replied.

Emma shook her head.

"Nope, that's not all that's in here. That's not even the _strongest _thing in here. What…what is that?"

Emma licked at her lips for an additional taste and felt a strange tingling in her body that was usually only caused by magic.

"I don't…think it's alcohol," Emma said.

Hook frowned and wrinkled his nose before he took a small sip from his cup.

"I don't understand. I taste rum and what I assume is vodka. What do you taste?"

Emma looked perplexed and a little worried before she answered, "I don't know."

* * *

Snow smiled at David as they laughed together under the stars near the glow of the lights woven around a tree in the space between the gazebo and the pond. They leaned in and chastely pressed their lips together, but drew out the kiss to last a few long seconds.

Until Regina shattered the moment with her rage.

"Where's the imp?!"

Snow and David shot apart in an instant and the pixie haired woman stared wide-eyed at Regina, her hands still on David's shoulders.

"Regina, wh–"

"Where's Rumple," Regina ignored the other woman, her eyes on fire as she clenched her fists at her sides.

"He's not here. He stayed home while Belle's babysitting Neal," Snow answered. "What's wrong?"

"He had to have stopped by," Regina shook her head. "He's the only one other than me who has access to truth serum and I certainly didn't give it to myself."

"Wait, truth serum," David asked. "What's going on?"

"There's truth serum in the punch," Regina explained.

"What? How can you be sure," Snow asked.

Regina huffed.

"Snow, have you now or have you ever found me attractive?"

"Always," the word flowed so effortlessly out of Snow's mouth.

"What," David asked with shock and confusion, his pitch a little higher than usual.

"Oh," Snow said with a tone of comprehension.

"Hey," Tink yelled as she hastily approached the three of them, her focus solely on Regina. "We never finished our conversation."

"I was finished. You were trying to take advantage," Regina said.

"No. Tell me, Regina, did you even _like _kissing Robin?"

"Sometimes," she replied before she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Why–" Tink started.

"_Don't _ask," Regina held up a hand to stop the fairy.

Tink crossed her arms over her chest and instead of pouting, she pushed.

"Why only sometimes?"

"Because sometimes I was thinking of Emma."

Snow dropped her drink and David raised his chin with an air of authority while he gave Regina a steely glare.

"_While _you were kissing Robin," Tink asked.

"Yes," Regina answered through gritted teeth, unable to not supply a truthful response.

"Do you like–"

Regina hurriedly walked away from the group before Tinker Bell could finish her question.

* * *

Hook didn't seem to care that there was something extra in the punch. Whatever Emma tried to warn him about, he just ignored her and finished his drink. It was a mistake.

"I love you," he said without any prompting.

"I want to be with Regina," Emma said without missing a beat.

"Wow," Ruby breathed out a little laugh as she stopped mid-stride on her way past the two of them. "That's awkward."

As Ruby continued on to wherever she was going, chuckling as she did, Emma frowned and looked a little like a wounded puppy before she fled from the pirate. She ran, though not quite literally, into the arms of her parents as she chose to seek their comfort.

"Emma, honey, what's wrong," Snow asked when she saw her daughter approach.

Emma looked down at the pavement when she noticed David wasn't nearby, but then realized he was on one knee and picking up a spilled drink.

"I hate this," Emma replied.

"Hate what," Snow asked while David got off his knee and stood.

"This thing with Regina."

Snow shook her head.

"What… Um…is everything okay with Hook," she hesitantly asked.

"No."

"What's wrong with Hook," David disbelievingly asked.

"I don't like him."

"What? He wears tight pants and he looks good in them. And that _voice_," David said.

Emma and Snow stared at David with raised brows.

"_I_ don't want to date him, but it sounds like _you _do."

"He rode away on a horse. His accent sends shivers down a person's spine. Of course I want to date him," David said before he stuttered and looked between his wife and daughter. "Uh, I didn't…"

"Wow," Emma said as the shock of his confession started to fade. "Well, you don't have any competition from me. Have at it."

Snow smacked David's arm and glared at him.

"I hope you don't think about him when we–"

"Ah! No, gross. Don't tell me," Emma said as she pleadingly waved her hands in front of Snow's face to stop the woman from continuing.

"I'm not Regina," David replied to the unfinished statement.

Emma scrunched up her face.

"Do I even _want _to know," she asked her parents.

David shrugged and Snow gulped.

"Maybe," her mother answered.

Emma cocked her head to the side and quizzically looked at the other woman.

"I'm…gonna go find Regina."

As Emma started to walk away, she heard her mother hiss, "David, she's going to _find _her."

Emma scrunched up her face further and tried to shake it off as she looked around the party for Regina.

* * *

She found her on a bench. It was a little comical considering the last time they sat on a bench by the water was when Regina tried to pry information out of her about the magic beans that would take everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. It was as if no time had passed and Neverland never happened.

Except both had happened and everything was even messier than before.

"Regina?"

The brunette looked up from her hands as she played with them in her lap. When her eyes locked on Emma, she cleared her throat and swallowed.

"Please don't ask me any questions," Regina softly said.

"Why would I ask you anything," Emma frowned and came to sit beside Regina on the bench. "I mean, if we have a conversation like two normal human beings for the first time in a week and questions come up _then_ I'd ask you questions. I just wanted to sit with you."

Regina's head whipped to the side to look at Emma. Her eyes were narrowed a little and she didn't seem too happy to hear the blonde's confession.

"You don't get to sit with me," Regina said like a bratty five year old. "Not after all that you've done."

"What _all _did I do?"

"You said you weren't going to ask questions," Regina's anger dissipated a bit and she seemed to sag.

"We're talking. I said if we talked and a question came up, I'd ask."

"Damn truth serum," Regina muttered.

Emma wanted to ask what that meant, but instead she chose to ask again, "What all did I do?"

Regina sighed.

"You got me to trust you. And like an idiot, I believed you were nothing like your mother. I was wrong."

"Oh."

"Yes. Now leave. I want to be alone and I certainly don't want to talk to anyone right now."

"I'm not leaving. _You _can leave if you don't want to be around me."

"I just found a place where Tinker Bell won't pester me with questions trying to get whatever she can out of me before the serum wears off. I'm not leaving."

"Okay, that's the second time you've mentioned the word serum. What's up?"

"Honestly, Miss Swan, you don't know?"

"The only thing I know right now is that my dad is being ridiculously forthcoming about his crush on Hook."

There was silence between them that lasted a moment. Then Regina laughed and put a hand to her stomach as all the air left her lungs from the force of her laughter.

"_Charming_ has a thing for _Hook_?"

Emma started, very subtly, to smile.

"Yeah. I think he wants to ride a horse with him? I don't know. He said Hook rode a horse and apparently that was as sexy as his accent."

Regina slowly started to collect herself and asked, "Do you think his accent is sexy?"

"I think it could be…if I was actually interested in him," Emma said then frowned.

"Problem, dear?"

"Why don't you want me asking questions?"

"The serum," Regina answered in a way that felt purposely vague to Emma. "Why aren't you interested in him?"

"Because I'm interested in you," Emma said before gripped the edge of the bench and dug her nails into the wood. "God, what was in that drink?"

Regina furrowed her brow. "Wait, you really _don't _know?"

"I told you I didn't. What's going on?"

"There's truth serum in the punch."

"Seriously?!"

"You didn't feel it when you drank it?"

"I felt _something_. I didn't think it was _truth serum_! Does that mean whatever questions someone asks me have to be answered with the truth?"

"Yes. Have you answered a lot?"

"I answered enough to know Hook's gonna hate you."

Regina breathed in and almost said something, something Emma assumed was a question, and the younger woman beat her to it.

"You said it wears off?"

Regina nodded.

"When?"

"It's usually a twenty-four hour thing," Regina dismissively informed her.

Emma shot off the bench and squeaked, "Really?"

"And Granny spiked the punch too. So people are getting drunk off alcohol _and _truth serum."

"You're so casual about this. We just ingested freaking _truth serum_, Regina. Doesn't that bother you?"

"It did."

"Then why aren't you bothered now?"

"Because I have a distraction."

"Oh, yeah? And what's that," Emma asked with her hands on her hips, a serious and slightly angered expression on her face. Until she noticed Regina's eyes weren't on her anymore. "Are you…are you staring at my jacket?"

"I am."

"Why?"

"I thought you already knew."

"Oh, because it's bright red and made of leather and it's an eyesore?"

"No," Regina said then blinked as she pulled her gaze away from the jacket and looked up at Emma. "When have I ever said those things?"

"I don't… You didn't."

Regina grinned.

"Don't you _hate _this jacket?"

"No, I don't."

"Then why were you staring at it?"

"Is that really what you want to ask me?"

"For the time being, yes."

"I don't hate that jacket. I never did. I've always wanted to see it thrown on the ground…because you were naked…with me."

"Uh…"

Regina chuckled.

"Um…okay. That…answered a lot of questions at once. Questions I didn't even _have._"

"You're welcome, dear," Regina said before she gave the woman a predatory grin.

"Next question," Emma started to say.

"No. It's my turn," Regina said as the playfulness left her and she stared with sharp eyes at Emma, not completely a glare but not a look that gave Emma warm and fuzzy feelings either. "Why did you split up Robin and me?"

"I didn't mean to," Emma quickly answered. "I didn't know who she was or what bringing her back would do to you."

"And yet, your apologies over the past week have all fallen flat. Are you happy that we're broken up?"

"Sort of?"

Regina clenched her jaw and that was when she glared at the blonde.

"I was jealous of Robin!"

Regina stared open-mouthed at Emma then. It took her a few seconds before she recovered and slipped back into Angry Mayor mode. "Why?"

"Because you chose him and you didn't choose me."

There was a sound and sting against her hot and reddening cheek. Emma hadn't expected it, but she had definitely felt the effects of the slap. She didn't even have time to touch a hand to her cheek before Regina surprised her again.

The same hand that slapped her was soon afterward on the back of her neck and used to pull her into Regina. Their lips met with a spark within them and a slight gnash of teeth. Regina kissed her a few times and the blonde felt her relax as soon as she reciprocated.

Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's waist and pulled the woman closer. Their bodies melted together and she quietly hummed against Regina's lips before she gently clawed at the back of Regina's coat. She then ran her hands up and down Regina's back and sighed when she felt Regina's tongue teasingly slide between her parted lips.

"Whoa!"

Emma and Regina gasped then broke apart. They turned to see Henry standing in front of them, mouth agape, and eyes wide like he didn't know what to make of what he just saw.

"It worked," he happily exclaimed. "A little _too _well, but…it worked!"

"What worked," Regina asked.

"Why did you slap her," Henry asked with a scrunched up face and curious expression, his eyes on Regina when he asked.

"She should have told me how she felt sooner," Regina said to Henry then looked at Emma.

Emma sheepishly smiled at her.

"And why did you _kiss _her," Henry asked.

"Oh boy," Emma said as her brows shot up toward her hairline.

"Because I like her," Regina answered as she turned and smiled at Henry. "Is it okay to like her?"

Henry slyly smiled back at his brunette mother.

"Yeah, it's okay. Just…don't hurt each other again."

"I'll do what I can, Kid," Emma said.

Regina looked at Emma with surprise written across her face. "So are we…?"

"Do you want to be?"

A moment passed as Emma and Henry waited with baited breath.

"Yes."

Emma and Henry simultaneously relaxed. Then Henry closed the distance between the three of them and said, "I love you, Moms."

Emma and Regina embraced their son and leaned into each other to tighten the hug.

"We love you, too," they said.

"But you are so grounded," Emma added.

"Agreed," Regina stated as she looked from the top of their son's head to Emma's green eyes.

"But I helped," Henry insisted with a pout.

"Yes, and we're glad you did," Regina said.

"But you made people over share about things I wish I never had to hear," Emma finished.

Regina smirked.

"You can't mess with magic like you did," Regina amended. "It's dangerous."

"Yeah, I know. Can't it be punishment enough that I saw Grandma checking Ruby out?"

Regina laughed and Emma grimaced.

"How do I even exist," Emma rhetorically asked with a little exasperation.

"I just want a lesbian experience, David," the three of them heard Snow shout not all that far away from them.

They turned to see Ruby with pink cheeks as she mouthed "sorry" to David on her way toward the gazebo. And Regina laughed again.

"Don't ever scar me like that," Henry said.

Emma opened and closed her mouth several times, stunned.

When Regina stopped laughing long enough to see Emma's expression, she took the blonde's hand and squeezed.

"Why don't the three of us go back to the house and I'll make us a late night snack. Maybe share a few bowls of ice cream," Regina suggested.

"Anything that gets me away from that," Emma said as she pointed at her parents.

Regina chuckled and the three of them left the party with smiles on their faces.

Once the truth was out, a new day could finally begin.

* * *

**Note: My attempt at a truth serum fic done on the last day of Swan Queen Week while also trying to fit in one more before the deadline. Hopefully it wasn't too bad. Let me know what you think. :)**


End file.
